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Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese, and Fennel Salad

PREP: 30 minutes ROAST: 11⁄2 hours COOL: 20 minutes OVEN: 400ºF MAKES 4 servings

1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette

2 large beets (1 pound)

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium fennel bulbs

8 cups torn butterhead (Boston or Bibb) lettuce

1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese (chèvre)

2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1 Preheat oven to 400ºF. Prepare Lemon Vinaigrette; cover and set aside.

2 Scrub beets. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast about 11⁄2 hours or until a knife can be easily inserted into beets. Cool about 20 minutes or until able to handle. Trim off stem and root ends of roasted beets. Peel and cut into 1-inch pieces.

3 In a medium bowl combine beets, 3 tablespoons of the Lemon Vinaigrette, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the pepper.

4 For fennel bulbs, cut off and discard stalks, including feathery leaves. Remove wilted outer layer; cut off a thin slice from bases. Wash; cut fennel lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Thinly slice the fennel.

5 In another medium bowl combine fennel, 3 tablespoons of the Lemon Vinaigrette, the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.

6 Line individual salad plates with lettuce. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Layer with beets, walnuts, fennel, goat cheese, and chives.

PER SERVING: 394 cal., 32 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 22 mg chol., 592 mg sodium, 20 g carb., 8 g fiber, 12 g pro.

Lemon Vinaigrette

In a medium bowl whisk together 1⁄2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot, 11⁄2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard, and 1⁄2 teaspoon honey. In a steady stream, slowly whisk in 1⁄3 cup olive oil until well combined.

tip

Beets are higher in sugar than any other vegetable. Their sweet taste really comes out when they’re roasted. The red/purple color of beets comes from betacyanin, a type of phytonutrient believed to help fight cancer.